Locals protest half-naked Bonney Lake baristas
BONNEY LAKE - Some local residents who are steaming mad over half-naked baristas serving coffee at local espresso stands took their protest to the streets Saturday.
Dozens of the local residents lined the roadside outside one of the stands, Hot Chic-A-Latte, holding signs that said, "Public Nudity Not OK" and "Pasties and Lingerie Should Not Be in Public View."
"The bikinis are one thing. That can be worn on the beach and seen in public. But you don't see lingerie or pasties on a beach, and I think that's what this Washington state law is," said a woman taking part in the protest.
She and many of the others want the city council to pass a law prohibiting the scantily clad baristas. And the city's mayor is considering ordinances to force the coffee stands into the adult entertainment zone.
But Russ Parrish, owner of Hot Chic-A-Latte, said the city better be prepared to pay his relocation costs if it takes that step.
"If the city would like something to happen - if they would like to financially take care of relocation costs for us or any other business, I'd be more than willing to participate in that," he said.
Cowgirls Espresso CEO Scott Arbuckle argues what the customers see at his store is no different from what what they'd see at the beach.
When asked whether it was acceptable for the baristas to dress as if they were at the beach since they were, in fact, working at a coffee stand, Arbuckle acknowledged that the two locations were distinctly different, which is exactly why his baristas' attire has been attention-grabbing.
"That's right and that's why we're having this conversation," he said. "It's unusual, its unusual and it's different. It didn't just happen yesterday."
Dozens of the local residents lined the roadside outside one of the stands, Hot Chic-A-Latte, holding signs that said, "Public Nudity Not OK" and "Pasties and Lingerie Should Not Be in Public View."
"The bikinis are one thing. That can be worn on the beach and seen in public. But you don't see lingerie or pasties on a beach, and I think that's what this Washington state law is," said a woman taking part in the protest.
She and many of the others want the city council to pass a law prohibiting the scantily clad baristas. And the city's mayor is considering ordinances to force the coffee stands into the adult entertainment zone.
But Russ Parrish, owner of Hot Chic-A-Latte, said the city better be prepared to pay his relocation costs if it takes that step.
"If the city would like something to happen - if they would like to financially take care of relocation costs for us or any other business, I'd be more than willing to participate in that," he said.
Cowgirls Espresso CEO Scott Arbuckle argues what the customers see at his store is no different from what what they'd see at the beach.
When asked whether it was acceptable for the baristas to dress as if they were at the beach since they were, in fact, working at a coffee stand, Arbuckle acknowledged that the two locations were distinctly different, which is exactly why his baristas' attire has been attention-grabbing.
"That's right and that's why we're having this conversation," he said. "It's unusual, its unusual and it's different. It didn't just happen yesterday."